Tedder attachment.



J. SHOEMAKER. TEDDER ATTACHMENT.

APPLIOATION rmm nma. 1910.

968,809. v Patented Aug. 30-, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

swvw bo z J, xszoemaier J. SHOEMAKER.

TEDDER ATTACHMENT. APPLICATION-FILED FEB.8,1910

968,809. Patented Aug. 30, 1910.

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JEREMIAH SHOEMAKER, OF AKRON, OHIO.

TEDDER ATTACHMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 30, 1910.

Application filed. February 8, 1910. Serial No. 542,686.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JEREMIAH SHOE- MAKER, citizen of the United States, residing at Akron, in the county of Summit and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tedder Attachments, of which the following is a specification.

This invention comprehends certain new and useful improvements in tedder attachments for mowing machines, and the invention has for its primary object, a simple, durable and efficient construction of device of this character which may readily be connected directly back of the mower so that the team will not tramp down the loose hay which will leave the swaths lying loose and light upon the stubble.

lVit-h these and other objects in view as will more fully appear as the description proceeds the invention consists in certain constructions, arrangements and combinations of the parts that I shall hereinafter fully describe and claim.

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a tedder attachment constructed in accordance with my invention; and, Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the accompanying drawings by the same reference characters.

The framework of my improved tedder attachment embodies longitudinal sills or beams 1 that are connected together as by front and rear intermediate cross beams 1 braced in any suitable manner. Connected to the front ends of the longitudinal beams 1 are clevises 2, by which the device may be easily attached to the rear end of a mowing machine, the front of the framework being thereby supported while the rear end thereof is supported by caster wheels 3, as shown. A tilting frame is mounted in the rear end of the main framework, the frame in the present instance embodying longitudinal sills or beams 4 extending parallel to each other and a front cross bar 5. This frame is pivotally mounted to swing about a horizontal axis, on a crank shaft 6 which is journaled at its ends in suitable bearings secured to the longitudinal beams 1, at the rear ends thereof. The frame may be held to tilt as desired by means of a lever connection 7 with the rearmost cross beam 1 of the main framework, said hand-lever being provided with the usual detent to engage the quadrant 8.

A plurality of fork carrying arms 9 are pivotally mounted intermediate of their ends on the cranks of the shaft 6, and each arm is provided at its upper end with a bracket 10, each bracket being provided with a lug or ear 11 to which a link rod 12 is connected. All of the rods 12 are fastened at their front ends to the cross bar 5 of the tilting frame.

Each fork carrying arm 9 is provided at its lower end with a plate 13, said plate being formed with two ears 14 which are apertured so that the forks 15 may be pivotally connected thereto. Each fork 15 is in the present instance provided with two tines as shown and with a crank 16. These cranks 16 are connected by tie rods 17 to one end of contractile springs 18, and the springs are connected at their opposite ends to the rearwardly extending lugs 19 formed on the respective brackets 10.

In order to rotate the crank shaft 6 and impart a gyratory movement to the forks 15, a spur pinion 20 is secured on the end of the crank shaft 6, said pinion meshing with the spur teeth of a wheel 21 mounted on a stub shaft journaled in one of the longitudinal oeams 1. This wheel 21 is also provided with beveled teeth which mesh with a bevel pinion 22 secured to the rear end of a longitudinally extending shaft 23 ournaled in hangers secured to the adjacent longitudinal beam 1. A pinion 2 1 is mounted loose on the shaft 23 near the front end thereof, and is designed for engagement by a crown gear 25 secured to a drive sprocket 26 journaled on a stub shaft secured to the adjacent longitudinal beam 1, the sprocket wheel being preferably constructed in two parts and having the crown gear 25 bolted to it. The pinion 2A, as above stated, is loose on the shaft 23 and is arranged to be coupled to the shaft by a spring pressed clutch 28 controlled by a shipper lever 29.

From the foregoing description in connection with the accompanying drawings, the operation of my improved tedder attachment will be apparent. In the practical use of the device, the clevises 2 are connected to a rear end of a mowing machine so that the main framework will be trundled directly rotating back of the mower. The sprocket wheel 26 is connected by a chain (not shown) to some driving wheel on the main machine, the c011- sequent rotation of the sprocket wheel 26 effecting the rotation of the longitudinal shaft 23 and the corresponding movement of the crank shaft 6 to impart a gyratory motion to the forks. It is obvious that the tilting frame may be adjusted as desired so that the fork carrying arms 9 may as a whole assume different positions and the forks carried down to different depths.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is: i

1. A tedder attachment, embodying a main framework, a tilting frame mounted in said framework, means for holding the tilting frame at different inclinations relative to the main frame, a crank-shaft journaled in the main framework, means for rotating the crank-shaft, fork-carrying arms mounted intermediate of their ends on the cranks of the c'ank-shaft, each having a link connection at one end with the tilting frame, and forks carried on the other ends of said arms.

2. A tedder attachment embodying a main framework, a crank-shaft journaled therein, a tilting frame pivotally mounted on the crank-shaft and having adjustable connection with the main frame whereby to hold the tilting frame at differentinclinations relative to the main frame, means for arms pivotally mounted intermediate 0 their ends on the cranks of the crank-shaft, each having a link connection at one end with the tilting frame, and forks carried on the other ends of said arms.

3. A tedder attachment embodying a main framework, a tilting frame mounted thereon, a crank-shaft arranged to support said frame and journaled in the main framework, fork-carrying arms pivotally mounted intermediate of their ends 011 the cranks of the crank-shaft, brackets connected to the upper ends of said arms, the brackets being formed with forwardly and rearwardly extending lugs, link-rods connected to the tilting frame and to the forwardly extending lugs, )lates connected to the fork-carrying arms at the lower ends of the latter, said plates being formed with apertured ears, forks pivotally connected to the ears and provided with cranks, rods connected to the respective cranks at one end, contractile springs connected to the opposite ends of said rods and the rearwardly extending lugs of the brackets, and means for rotating said crank-shaft.

In testimony whereof I afiiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JEREMIAH SHOEMAKER.

lVitnesses JACOB HEDDESHEIMER, RUTH HEDDESHEIMER.

said crankrshaft, fork'carrying- 

